The Pattern of Help-Seeking Behavior Among Patients With Sexual Dysfunctions Attending in Psychiatry Outpatient Department in a Tertiary Care Hospital of Bangladesh

Introduction: Identifying the possible pattern of help-seeking can explain the gap between care need and actual use of care. Aim: To know the patterns of help-seeking behavior among patients with sexual dysfunction in the context of a developing country. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, qualitative study using criterion sampling among the diagnosed patients of sexual dysfunction attending the psychiatry outpatient department. Based on data saturation, 18 in-depth interviews were done. For method triangulation, 1 key informant interview, 1 informal interview, and 1 focus group discussion were performed. Data were analyzed manually using the thematic analysis method. Main Outcome Measure: Using an interview guideline, face to face interview was performed and the participants reported their pattern of help-seeking regarding their sexual problems. Results: The majority of the participants were male, within 20-35 years of age range, literate, and from an urban background. Premature ejaculation and female sexual interest/arousal disorder were the most common disorders. After the identification of the problems, help-seeking was done mostly from close and intimate relationships, although a few of the participants choose a self-search strategy. The complementary and alternative medicine approach was mostly used where traditional healers played a major role. The biomedical approach was the last to seek help and most of the participants visited the dermatology and venereology department. Self-help techniques and internet use were found as emerging ways to seek help. Conclusion: Sex education is necessary to improve general awareness because surrounding people were found as the primary source of information. Copyright (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the International Society for Sexual Medicine.